Pass: NIU offers help for going smoke-free

Though the Smoke-Free Campus Act won’t be in effect until July 1, a task force is compiling resources to help community members end their smoking habits.

NIU administrators have proven they care about the well-being of these people by providing resources for smokers to quit.

Some smokers take smoke breaks outside of academic buildings to relax and deal with stressful situations. If people on campus can’t smoke and relax then they will have to find alternative methods to cope with stress while they’re on campus.

NIU’s handling of the act demonstrates the task force members don’t want to force students and faculty to follow the policy. Instead, they are providing ways for people to help kick unhealthy habits if they want them.

The time between now and July is sufficient for everyone in the community to educate themselves on what the Smoke-Free Campus Act entails and how they can learn from the changes.

Although dedicated smokers might not accept the change as easily as occasional smokers, it’s reassuring that NIU is providing help to deal with this challenge while improving the campus.

Fail: Students skip classes at end of semester

Skipping classes these last few weeks seems easy, but students shouldn’t try to justify their reasons for missing them.

At the beginning of the semester, lecture halls were full. I hated walking from DuSable Hall to Montgomery Hall because everyone already took the seats I wanted. By the time I made it to class, most of the the seats in the front were taken by people who put their book bags on a chair — taking up two seats — or they were filled with people who were too intimidating to sit near.

Now, whether I am early or running late, there are plenty of seats and I actually have a choice where I would like to sit.

Students, including myself, struggle these last few weeks — maybe they forget the cost of tuition or the long-term problems of failing classes. It seems silly to attend lectures earlier in the semester only to skip out on the remainder of the semester.

Staying home might seem like a wiser choice than going through cold weather and snow flurries, but skipping frequently can negatively affect a student’s grade.

Skipping class is like an addiction — once you find how thrilling it can be, it’s difficult to stop.